Fire alarm systems are often installed within commercial, residential, or governmental buildings. Examples of these buildings include hospitals, warehouses, schools, shopping malls, government buildings, and casinos, to list a few examples. The fire alarm systems typically include a control panel, fire alarm initiating devices, and annunciation devices. Some examples of alarm initiating devices include smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, temperature sensors, and pull stations. Similarly, annunciation devices include speakers, horns, bells, chimes, light emitting diode (LED) reader boards, and/or flashing lights (e.g., strobes), to list a few examples.
The alarm initiating devices monitor the buildings for indicators of fire. Upon detection of indicators of fire, device signals are sent from the alarm initiating devices to the control panel. The device signals are typically alarm signals and/or analog values. In general, the alarm signals are generated by alarm initiating devices in the situation where the alarm initiating devices themselves determine whether ambient conditions are indicative of a fire. The alarm signals are used to signal the control panel that a fire has been detected. Alternatively, some devices provide analog values to indicate measured conditions. In one example, temperature sensors provide analog values for measured temperatures. In another example, smoke sensors provide analog values indicating smoke obscuration levels. The control panel then determines if the analog values are indicative of a fire. Additionally, in some examples, the alarm initiating devices provide both alarm signals and analog values.
In response to detection of indictors of fire, the control panel initiates an alarm condition, which often includes an evacuation of the building. Additionally, the control panel may also send a signal to a fire department, a central communications or receiving station, a local monitoring station, and/or other building alarm/notification systems (e.g., public address systems).
Typically, the alarm initiating devices are periodically tested (e.g., monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on fire or building codes) to verify that the devices are physically sound, unaltered, working properly, not obstructed, properly labeled, and located in their assigned locations. This testing of the devices is often accomplished with a walkthrough test. A typical walkthrough test includes two inspectors that work as a team to perform the test. In general, the term inspector refers to any authorized person that inspects the alarm initiating device. Additionally, some inspectors may also have additional skills sets (e.g., fire fighting, or technical skills). Thus, the inspector could be a person that only inspects the devices or the inspector could be, for example, a technician that is also able to install, configure, and/or repair alarm systems.
One inspector stays at the control panel and the other inspector moves through the building, activating each device (e.g., applying real or artificial smoke to a smoke detector). Upon activation, the devices send device signals to the control panel and the inspector at the control panel records results of the test. Additionally, the inspector at the panel watches for any unsolicited (or “real”) alarms that are received by the control panel. If a “real” alarm is identified by the inspector at the control panel, the fire alarm system is restored to normal operation mode and an alarm condition is initiated (or generated) by the control panel.
Currently, procedures exist for mitigating risks of missing real alarms during walkthrough tests. The fire alarm systems can be divided into separate zones (e.g., each floor of a building) and only one zone is deactivated at a time during the test to limit the number of disabled devices in the fire alarm system. Moreover, at least one inspector remains within the deactivated zone during the test. This inspector is thus able to watch for any fires that might occur in that deactivated zone during the test.